Apparatus for producing metal bodies



April 25,1944.

R. K. HoPKlNs APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING METAL BODIES 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed July 22, 1942 ROBERT K. HOPKINS INVENTOR ATTORNEY April 25, 1944. R, K; HOPKINS 2,347,413

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING METAL BODIES Filed July 22, 19.42 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ROBERT. K. HOPKINS INVENTOR BY yvqja b ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 25, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING METAL BODIES Robert K. Hopkins, New York, N. Y., assignor to The M. W. Kellogg Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 22, 1942, Serial No. 451,880

9 Claims; (01. 22-146) of the type disclosed in my prior Patent No.

2,191,479 of February 9, 1940, the wall of the mold is heated during the metal deposition, simultaneously it is cooled; the cooling is continued until the deposited metal is in condition to permit its removal from the mold. When depositing high melting point metals and alloys, such as the ferrous metals and alloys, the mold wall is made of copper,- or brass, or other metal of high heat conductivity, and the thickness of the wall is kept small so that a high heat transfer rate may be obtained. The heating and cooling set up stresses in the mold wall which cause a working of the metal thereof and a deformation from its original shape. When the mold wall is a unitary structure the deformation in time renders the removal of the solidified deposited metal diflicult and at times even impossible. When the mold wall is split vertically so that it is formed of matching halves, the deformation eventually spreads the edges of the mold sections to such a degree that they cannot be brought sufliciently close together to form a satisfactory mold. Deformation from this cause measurably decreases the useful life of the mold.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel mold structure of general utility but especially useful in the production of metals from rawmaterials supplied to a gap through which electric current is discharged beneath the surface of a protective blanket ofv flux, which is made up of a plurality of sections, each section being such that the portion of the mold wall included in it is so supported and reenforced'that surface of a protective blanket of flux, which includes a comparatively thin mold defining wall, an outside wall and a space between them through lated the mold being vertically split into halves which can be quickly and easily .brought into mold forming position and separated for removal of the deposited metal bodies, each of the halves being formed of superimposed sections, each section being such that the portion of the mold defining wall included in it is so supported and re-' enforced that distortion due to stresses set up during heating and cooling of the mold wall is reduced to a minimum. The further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a present preferred embodiment ,of the invention, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which 7 Fig. 1 is a front view of an apparatus including the novel mold arrangement of the invention, Fig. 2 is a front view, with parts in section and with parts broken away, of the mold arrangement of the invention,

Fig. 3 is a side view of the novel mold arrangement, and

Fig.4 is a plan view, of the mold sections.

Th mold arrangement of the invention isof general application and may be used in conventional casting operations, however, it is especially suited to the production of semi-finished metal bodies, of both ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys, from raw materials by the discharge of electric current through a gap submerged beneath a blanket of protective flux. The mold arrangement of the invention is particularly suited to the production of bodies of ferrous alloys, especially those alloys that contain' comparatively large proportions of alloying elements such as chromium, nickel, manganese, vanadium, tungsten, molybdenum, silicon, columbium, aluminum,

partly in section of a pair and the like, alone or in combination. The

which a heat exchange medium may be circumethod at present preferably employed in producing metal bodies in the mold arrangement of the invention is disclosed in. my prior Patent No. 2,191,479;

The apparatus for producing metal bodies, see

Fig. 1, includes arrangements for forming and feeding a hollow electrode I0, for conducting the necessary current to the electrode and the mold, for metering the granular raw materials and supplying them through the electrode, and the various controls that make it possible to constantly produce the metal or desired analysis. This portion of the apparatus is disclosed in my prior patent, above noted, and will not be gone into in detail here.

The electrode I0 is fed into the mold. cavity of mold arrangement I of the invention. The mold arrangement is carried on frame members |2 which may form part of a fixed or a movable support. To frame members 12 is united a pair of vertical support members I3. Adjacent each end of each support member I3 is bolted, or otherwise united, an angle piece |4 each of which is provided with parallel slots l5. Bolts l6 pass through slots l3 and through slot II in bar I8 which extends from an angle piece I4 on one support member l3 to the corresponding angle piece on the other support member. .Blocks I9 are positioned beneath the ends of bars I. Blocks I! have tapped holes therein into which bolts it are screwed to clamp bars I! to angle pieces l4; each block i9 is also provided with a threaded hole in which stud 20 is screwed. A pin 2| fixes stud 23 against rotation. Stud 20 extends through a hole in support member I3; nuts are provided on stud 23 on each side of support I3 so that by the rotation of these nuts stud 23 may be made to move bar l4 closer to or further away from support member l3.

At the ends of bars I3 are small blocks having tapped holes through which pass adjustment screws 22 whose ends are adapted to bear against the sides of angle pieces H. A nut is provided for locking each screw 22 in adjustment. By

. means of adjustment screws 22, and the nuts thereon, and studs 20, and the nuts thereon, the position of each bar l3 may be adjusted in the plane transverse to support members I3. Since, as will be apparent hereinafter, the body and top mold elements are movable with bars l8, the

adjustment means just described serve for accurately aligning the mold cavity with trode Ill.

Near the bottom ends of support members l3 are attached, as by welding, angle members 23 upon which is supported a plate 24, having a central hole therein. Bottom mold element 23 and plate 24 are bolted to angle members 23. The bolt holes in mold element 25'and plate 24 are preferably slotted to allow for adjustment of the position of element 23. Vertical adjustments may be made by placing shims under element 23 or plate 24. v

The top wall of element 25 is preferably made of a metal of high heat conductivity such as copper, bronze, brass, etc., and includes a central depression which forms the bottom of the mold cavity. The depression is preferably hemispherical in shape, although other shapes of diminishing cross-section as a cone may be used.

The bottom wall of element 25 has a central. tapped hole through which extends the threaded end of water, or other heat exchange medium, inlet pipe 23. The top end of pipe 23 is notched, or otherwise castellated, and bears against the bottom of the depression. The bottom wall of mold element 24 alsoincludes a bailie 21 which 33 also pass through holes in the ends of spaced pairs of links 32. The links of each pair are united as by small metal blocks welded or screwed thereto. Bars 30 also pass through holes in fiat bars 33 which are positioned between I the links 32 of each pair of links; bars 33 are fixed to bars 33 as by set screws 34. Vertical pieces 33 are joined, as by welding, to bars 33 to form a frame swingable with bars 30 about the holes in bars H. The halves of mold body element 33 are carried by these swingable frames. Mold body element 36 is formed of two halves which when in the closed position, as shown, meet in a vertical plane to form an elongated cylindrical mold space. Each half is made up of a plurality of superimposed identical sections 31. Each section 31 includes a semi-cylindrical inner wall 33 of metal of high heat conductivity such as copper, brass, bronze, etc., and outer wall 33 spaced therefrom. Walls 33 and 39 are joined to top and bottom flanges 43 and 4| and to walls 42 toprovide a chamber through which the heat exchange medium may be circulated. The construction is such that flanges 40 and 4| and walls 42 so restrain and reinforce wall 33 that if the height of wall 38 is kept to or below two times the diameter of its cylinder no objectionable distortion or other working effect .is noted even after prolonged use. When ferrous alloys of high melting point are produced it is at present preferred that the height of wall 38 be equal to, or approximate, the diameter of its cylinder.

To facilitate the casting of sections 31 and to provide easy access to the heat exchange medium a5 elecassures contact of the heat exchange medium with all of the surface of the depression. A plurality of spaced tapped holes are provided in the bottom wall of element 23 to receive outlet pipes 23 which lead the heat exchangemedium to a place of disposal .or preparation for further circulation. A small diameter bleed line 23 is provided to evacuate any air that may collect in the top of the heat exchange medium circulation space and to indicate the flow through said space.

Bars 33 pass through holes in bars I 3 which serveasbearlngsinwhich bars 33 mayberotated. The bearing surface may be increased by means of bushings "attached to bars l3. Bars jacket, wall 38 is provided with a hole therein that in use is closed by a cover plate '43 bolted thereto. Flanges 40 and 4| are stepped so that when sections 31 are stacked accurate alignment may be easily obtained and a fluid tight joint easily produced. Each section is also provided with a bleeder pipe of small diameter, like bleeder pipe 23 of bottom element 23, so that gases may be evacuated from the top of the heat exchange medium circulation space and the flow of heat exchange medium therethroughmay be observed. Each section 31 is provided withbosses 44, two being in the front end and two in the back end of each section, which have tapped holes therein to receive metal bends 43. Appropriate ones of bends 43 .are connected by flexible conduits 43 to lead the heat exchange medium into and out of the circulation chambers. As shown, conduits 43 lead the heat exchange medium from the back end of the mold top element 41 to the back end of the top sections 31. The heat exchange medium flows through the top sections 31 in a substantially horizontal path and is then led by conduits 43 to the front end of the next sections 31 below and after passing through these sections to the next sections below andso on until it leaves' the backend of the bottom sections.

From the bottom sections 31 conduits 43 lead the heat exchange medium to the manifold to which pipe 23 is connected. In place of all oi conduits, 43, except those that lead-the heat exchange medium to the top section and those that lead it from the bottom section, suitably shaped metal bends or cross-overs may be employed. The sections 31 are united to form the halves of mold body element by bolting their contiguous flanges together. The sections are also united by straps 43 that are bolted to bosses 33' that extend from walls 33. The halves of the mold body .elementareunitedtorods33,sothattbeycan beswungtherewithfromtheopentothecloeed position, and vice versa, by angle pieces 49 which are bolted to straps 48 and to bars 33. In lieu of these angle pieces ears may be provided on two or more sections and these ears bolted-to bars 33.

Mold top element 41 is made up of'two halves 50 which, aside from their inner wall, are like sections 31. made of copper, brass, bronze or other metal of high heat conductivity and are so shaped that the mold space defined resembles a bottleneck, or hour glass. To each cover plate 43 of halves 50 is attached a bar pivoted on bar between a pair of links 32. A bushing 52 fixed in position as by a set-screw, is provided on each of bars 30 so that bars 5| will. be raised when bars 30 are raised and yet halves 49 can be moved about bar 30 independently of the halves of the mold body element. Halves 50 also include bleeds 29 in their outside walls.

The heat exchange medium enters the front ends of the halves 50 and after circulating through their chamber is passed through the sections 31 and mold bottom element 25 as already stated. It is to be noted that this circulation provides a counter-current flow so that the coldest. heat exchange medium will always contact the hottest portion of the mold walls. The bottom flanges of the halves 51 and the top flange of mold bottom element 25, are stepped to fit the top and bottom flanges of the halves of the mold body element so that rapid alignment and a tight fit may be quickly obtained. Halves 50 are held in the closed position by a rod 53, provided with nuts at its ends that passes through bars 5|. Similar rods 53 that pass through bars 35 hold the halves of the mold body element in this plosed position.

To each support I3 is bolted a bracket 55 which carries a forked bearing piece for the fulcrum pin of a bell-crank 56. Each bell-crank has a freeend to which is preferably attached a handle, not shown. The other end of each of the bell-cranks is forked and carries a pin upon which long links 51 and short links 58 are pivoted. Long links 51 unite cranks 55; a link- 51 is positioned on each side of bars 30. The other ends of links 58 arepivoted on pins carried in supports at the ends of long links 59. A link 59 is positioned at each. side of bars 30. Links 59 are united, as by welding, to spaced plates which carry bushings or washers 60; bars 30 pass through enlarged holes in the plates and washers. The bottom link 32 of one of the pairs of links rests on washers 50 so that the weight of bars 30 and all carried by them rests on links 59 when the mold body element is raised ofi the mold bottom element as shown.

The mold body element is raised and lowered by manipulation of cranks 56. .To lower the mold body element, cranks 56 are moved to the dotted line position. This is afiected by moving either, or both, of the cranks as links 51 cause them to move in unison. As the cranks move, links 58 rotate to the left and move links 59 downwardly as these links are restrained by bars 30 against substantial longitudinal movement. It is to be noted that in the solid line position the pivot pins are not aligned and the cranks are moved off the neutral position until the free end of the right hand cranks touches the stop on its support bracket; by this arrangement unwanted move-.

ment to the down position is impossible.

A suitable cable 31 connects mold bottom 25 to the electric current source. As shown, only The inner walls of halves 50 are the mold bottom is connected to the electric current source, however, in practice it is found preferable to run the current connection to each of sections 31 and mold top halves '50. In some operations, .especially when direct current is employed, the mold as well as the mold side of the electric current supply may be grounded and the direct connection between them eliminated.

I claim: v

1. A mold arrangement including a mold body element, said mold body element being formed of complementary halves that meet in a vertical plane, each half being formed of a plurality of superimposed sections,each sectionhaving an inner wall, an outer wall, and wall means uniting the peripheries of said inner and outer walls to form a chamber for circulating a heat exchange medium, said outer-wall and said wall means serving to reenforce said inner wall and to restrain it against distortion, heat exchange medium inlet means and heat exchange medium outlet means in the outer wall of each of said sections, means for conducting a heat exchange medium to the inlet means of the top section of each of said halves, and means for conducting the heat exchange medium from the outlet means inner wall, an outer wall, and wall means uniting the peripheries of said inner and outer walls to form a chamber for circulating a heat exchange medium, said outer wall and said wall means serving to reenforce said inner wall and to restrain it against distortion,heat exchange ,medium inlet means and heat exchange medium, outlet means in the outer wall of each of said sections, a niold bottom element uponwhich said mold ,body element is adapted to be placed to close the bottom of the mold cavity in said mold body, said mold bottom element having a chamber therein provided with heat exchange medium inlet and heat exchange medium outlet means for the circulation of a heat exchange medium 1 the heat exchange medium from the outlet. means of each section except the bottom sections to the inlet means of thesection below, and means for conducting the heat exchange medium from the outlet means of the bottom sections to the inlet means of said bottom mold element whereby as metal is deposited'in the mold arrangement the coldest heat exchange medium will always contact that portion .of the mold cavity defining walls in which is the hottest metal.

3. A mold arrangement comprising a mold body element, said mold body element being formed of complementary halves that meet in a vertical plane, each half being formed of aplurality of superimposed sections, each section hav ing an inner wall, an outer wall, and wall means uniting the peripheries of said inner and outer walls to form a chamber for circulating a heat exchange medium, said outer wall and said Well means serving to reenforce said inner wall and to restrain it against distortion, heat exchange medium inlet means and heat exchange medium outlet means in the outer walls of each of said sections, a mold top element formed of complementary halves that meet in-said vertical plane, the halves of said mold top element being movable relative to the halves of said mold body element, said mold top element having an inner wall,.an outer wall, means uniting the peripheries of said inner and outer walls to form a chamber for circulating a heat exchange medium, and heat exchange medium inlet and outlet means, a mold bottom element upon which said mold body element is adapted to be positioned to close the bottom of the mold space, said mold bottom element including a chamber for circulation of a heat exchange medium therethrough provided with heat exchange medium inlet means and heat exchange medium outlet means, means for conducting a heat exchange medium to the heat exchange inlet means of the halves of said mold top element, means for conducting the heat exchange medium from the outlet means of each half of said mold top element to the inlet means of the top section of said mold body element below it, means for conducting the heat exchange medium from the outlet means of each section, except the bottom sections, to the inlet means of the next section below, means for conducting the heat exchange medium from the outlet means of the bottom sections to the inlet means of said mold. bottom element and means for conducting the heat exchange medium from the outlet means of said mold bottom element whereby when molten metal is deposited the coldest heat exchange medium will always contact the portion of the mold space defining wall in which is the hottest metal.

4. A mold arrangement including a mold body element split in a vertical plane into complementary halves, each of said halves being made up of a plurality of superimposed similar sections, each section including an inner wall, an outer'wall, top and ,bottom flanges uniting said walls and side walls uniting said inner and outer walls and flanges to provide a chamber through which a heat exchange medium may be circulated and to reenforce said inner wall and restrain it against distortion, removable means uniting the abutting flanges to form the sections of each half into a rigid structure, continuous members extending substantially the full length of said halves to further increase the rigidity of said halves, and means for holding said halves in mold forming position during the deposition of molten metal in the mold arrangement.

5'. A mold arrangement including a mold body element split in a vertical plane into complementary halves, each of said halves being made up of a plurality of superimposed similar sections, each section including an inner wall, an

I outer wall, top and bottom flanges uniting said forming position during the deposition of molten metal in the mold arrangement.

6. A mold arrangement including a mold body,

element split in a vertical plane into complementary halves, each of said halves being made up of a plurality of superimposed similar sections, each section including an inner wall, an outer wall, top and bottom flanges uniting said walls and side walls uniting said inner and outer walls and said flanges to provide a chamber through which a heat exchange medium may be circulated and to reenforce said inner wall and restrain it against distortion, means uniting the sections of each of said halves into a unitary structure, support means including a pair of spaced frames, each of said frames being supported for movement about a. flxed vertical line, means removably uniting said halves to said frames whereby said halves may be moved into and out of mold forming position, and removable means for uniting said frames to hold said halves in the mold forming position.

7. A mold arrangement including a mold body element split in a vertical plane into complementary halves, each of said halves being made up of a plurality of superimposed similar sections, each section including an inner wall, an

spaced swingable frames, each of said frames being mounted for swinging movement about a vertical line, means removably uniting saidhaives to said frames whereby said halves may be swung into and out of mold forming position, means for locking said frames to hold said halves in the mold forming position, a mold bottom element on said support, and means for raising and lowering said frames as a unit whereby said mold body element may be lowered onto said mold bottom element to close the bottom of the mold space and may be raised thereofl. I

8. A mold arrangement including a mold body elementsplit in a vertical plane into-complementary halves, each of said halves being made up of a plurality of superimposed similar sections, each section including an inner wall, an outer wall, top and bottom flanges uniting said walls and side walls uniting said inner and outer walls and said flanges to provide a chamber through which a heat exchange medium may be circulated and to reenforce said inner wall and restrain it against distortion, means uniting the sections of each of said halves into a unitary structure, support means including a pair of spaced swingable frames, each of said frames being mounted for swinging movement about a vertical line, means removably uniting said halves to said frames whereby said halves may be swung into and out of mold forming position, means for locking said frames against movement to hold said halves in mold forming position, a mold top element split in said vertical plane into complementary halves, each of said halves including an inner wall, an outer wall, top and bottom flanges uniting said walls and side walls uniting said inner and'outer walls and said flanges to provide a chamber through which a heat exchange medium may be circulated, a support member pivoted on each of said frames, each of said support members being movable about its pivot independently of said frame but being vertically movable with said frame, means uniting said halves of said top mold element to said support members whereby said halves of said mold top elementmay be brought to mold forming position on said mold body element independently of said halves of said body element, and means for locking said support members against movement to hold said halves of said top element in the mold forming position.

9. A mold arrangement including a mold body element split in a vertical plane into complementary halves, each of said halves being made up of a plurality of superimposed similar sections, each section including an inner wall, an outer wall, top and bottom flanges uniting said walls and side walls uniting said inner and outer walls and said flanges to provide a chamber through which a heat exchange medium may be circulated and to reenforce said inner wall and restrain it against distortion, means uniting the sections of each of said halves into a unitary structure, support means including a pair of spaced swingable frames, each of said frames being mounted for swinging movement about a fixed vertical line, means removably uniting said halves to said frames whereby said halves may be swung into and out of mold forming position, means for locking said frames against movement to hold said halves in mold forming position, a mold top element split in said vertical plane into complementary halves, each of said halves including an inner wall, an outer wall, top and bottom flanges uniting said walls and side walls uniting said inner and outer walls and said flanges to provide a chamber through which a heat exchange medium may be circulated, a support member pivoted on each of said frames, each of said support members being movable about its pivot independently of said frame but being vertically movable with said frame, means uniting said halves of said top mold element to said support members whereby said halves of said mold top element may be brought to mold forming position on said mold body element independently of said halves of said body element, means for locking said support members against movement to hold said halves of said mold top element in mold forming position, a mold bottom element, and means for moving said frames vertically as a unit whereby said mold body element may be lowered on or raised off said mold bottom element.

ROBERT K. HOPKINS. 

